Proud
by noximilian
Summary: The higher they are, the harder they'll fall.
1. Keen

Agrowl came out as he he pushed himself straight. The medic was next to him. The guys might have taken him back to the base where the doc was called for fast but efficient medical attention. And it've worked pretty good because now he was feeling absolutely wonderful ! Nothing better than a little medigun wave to go back on the battle. Without losing any more time, the young man jumped on his feet, trotting to the base's door with a quick "thanks" launched above his shoulder.

The building they were in was of bricks and wood only. An old factory from the thirties if you believed the old and broken sign on top. But at the moment, the accuracy of this fact wasn't the scout's first preoccupation.

With a fast pace he could keep for long, he jumped once again on the battlefield. The combat zone was an old railroad loading area and despite some trains crossing time to time it was totally unused. Well until Mann co decided this place could be of a good use for mercenaries' confrontations. Surprisingly, and thankfully for the warriors, the abandoned wagons stayed together despite the numerous impacts of explosions, bodies and gunshots, and offered descent protection against sudden death. Their massive rectangle shapes were the only motionless things in this real hellfire all around. Screams, of battle or of pain, shots, from light pistols or heavy weapons, detonations, a whole new and noisy life for a place who've been deserted for so long.

But the scout wasn't paying any attention. Newcomer in the base he was despite everything the one finishing most part of the missions. Speed and precision. Those were the only important things and he had both to offer.

He jumped the space between two wagons, shooting few bursts to people's general direction rather than trying his best to take down someone. He crossed the battlefield, back and forth to search for the briefcase but it was nowhere to be found. And he didn't have time, or even the real possibility, to stop someone to just ask for it. Beside, the diplomatic talks were not his first quality. He sprinted through the whole place again, jumping above the rails to join the Blu side again briefly catching the sound of their team's Heavy walking over with his mini-gun already rolling. He jumped behind one of the greyish blue wagons, turning around to observe the giant and his usual shadow, the medic, crossing the area. The scout smiled. What better diversion could he ask ?

The blu soldier suddenly landed in front of him, too focus on what was coming in front of him to care about the small man hiding on the side. A large smile stretched the scout's lips. This was so beautiful...

"Hey Dummy !"

A burst lead sinked in the rocketer's back, making him stumble over with a scream of pain quickly covered by the younger merc's laugh. Still laughing, the scout charged the blu base, leaving the soldier on the ground.

Oddly enough, the two buildings weren't that different. The global layout was still the same and only the construction material was different. The scout was not complain about it at all. Without searching for too long, the young man crossed the corridor leading to the central room of the factory, the one used to stock and protect the objective. As he jumped in the said room, he caught a light beeping sound and instinctively jumped back. A bullet gust marked the ground right on the spot where he would have been standing. The young man let out a quiet curse. The engineer's toy was back up already. He shook his head with a grunt and went off to cross the corridor in the other direction, searching for the best way to reach the objective. He could still go up but it meant risking to run into the sniper. He could still take down the guy but it would be a loss of time. If only his own team could be more efficient... As he was jumping out of the short corridor, his trott was stopped when he bumped into someone. The two made a step behind, weapons lifted and keeping the other one at gunpoint. A mix between relief and frustration made the scout escape an annoyed sigh.

"Damn it Spy ! The hell is in your mind to loom like that !"

In front of him was standing the suited man. Slightly taller than him, with an impeccable posture, his tailored clothes were fitting his light but existing musculature like a glove. His face was covered for the most part of it by a mask, except his eyes and his the low part where the lips were stretched in an amused smile.

"I wasn't expecting you to be here...", he observed with a calm tone.

The scout shrugged as an answer at it.

"Eh, what do you want, that's my job. Beside, if you could do yours and make some cleaning that could be useful" added the young pointing the room behind him.

The spy raised his eyebrows, having a look over the scout's shoulder. He nodded. Keeping his smile, he lifted his sleeve to push the switch on his watch. In a blink, the man wasn't here anymore. The scout pressed himself on the wall to free the way, getting ready in case he would have to run away.

The waiting was short, thankfully for the young man who was already trampling on his spot, feeling a horrible itch to get this over with.

"You can go"

The voice came from next to the door without anyone in sight.

"Finally ! I've almost waited" launched the young one, making his way through the entrance.

The room was big enough to contain approximately fifty cars. It was made in three floors communicating with metal stairs. A real factory missing the whole mechanical furnitures that have probably been folded up, cleaned away or scrapped. And replaced by a giant rocket and launch station probably big enough to blow the whole United-States.

The scout climbed the stairs two by two to get on the platform under the reactor. The It was a blue mallet with a white line was really here. With a smile, the young man seized it.

"Hello again sweetheart. Hope I didn't let you hanging for too long" he apologized, grabbing the handle.

Without further ado, he jumped back down on the floor, discharging the stairs and crossed the corridor with the same large smile on his face. Job well and quickly done. It would have been done even faster if only his team have been doing anything but at least he was pushing his own weight. He shoot out on the battlefield like a rocket. He ran passed someone of his own team, dodging him by the right but as he was reaching the middle of the map he saw something in the corner of his eye and threw himself back just in time to avoid the explosion of the trap. The demoman set himself in his path way, pointing his thumb down. The scout's eyes widened.

"Yo a little help here?" He called out to his teammates.

As he finished his sentence the sound of a grenade bouncing toward him forced him to move. The explosion shook the ground on which he was standing.

"Ah Geez. Guys I'm dyin' here !" he screamed in his communicator.

"I'd say you ain't seen dis one little guy ! Ah ah !" taunted the demoman, jumping from out a wagon to cut the red's escape way.

The scout's legs moved by themselves. He veered on the right, dodging another grenade who exploded right behind him and used the blow to the young man propel himself above his enemy, hitting the one eyed man in the face.

"Is that all you've got moron ?!" He launched before catching a sound somewhere in front of him.

A loud signal, one of the rare and only thing still functional from this area's old industrial life. A train was coming. The young man raced straight to the central tunnel. After this point he would have nothing more than few meters to cross to make it to the base and end the mission. He rushed inside the tunnel, taking momentum to jump above the metal rails. He caught a move on his right and turned around, gun up but found nothing. With a curse, he focused forward again only to find himself face to face with another figure was standing in the opening. The light created by the small flame on the weapon was reflecting in the black hollow glass eyes of the gasmask. The boy didn't even had the time to be scared. By reflex he let go of his gun and raised his arms to protect himself but instead of fire swallowing him he felt himself being pushed back with a suffocating smell of gas only to land directly in the arms of someone. He opened his eyes and look behind him, discovering the smiling face of the spy. The young man straightened on his feet to get away from the pyro, opening his mouth to yell something at his teammate but his voiced stayed stuck in his throat.

The blade sunk in his back with just one swift move. He felt his grasp on the handle of the intelligence tighten at first but the metal in his flesh moved, forcing him to let it slowly lose. As he was slipping down the floor he gritted his teeth. No way he would get knocked out that easy. He took hold of his pistol and lifted it to aim at the spy. With a little kick, the suited man pushed the scout down on the track.

"Amateur"

The last word made the young man frown. He gritted his teeth and pushed on his elbows to stand up and get back the intelligence, sending an electric shock to fire up his spine. He gritted his teeth in pain and then only noticed that the metal of the rails was shaking. His eyes opened wide when he slowly perceived the sonorous signal screaming at his ears. He didn't move for a moment, eyes glued on those rusted rails now vibrating as if alive. Strangely, he felt himself wanting to watch it. Why ? No idea. His blood was pulsing at his temples and he could feel the warm wetness of it soaking his shirt. He shrunk his eyes and forced his body up despite the sparks of pain from his back. There was a high whistle. He was almost on his feet. He just had to make one step. Juste one. He turned his head on his right.

"A crap..." He murmured as he saw a single blind eye glow in the tunnel at the end of the track.

Suddenly the world seemed to turn both silent and deafening. The train was right in front of him. His mind was blank, erased from any survival reflex. This thing was really big, lake a caterpillar or a giant sandworm like the movies. It would be done quickly. Well at least he was hoping for it…

But then, his sight suddenly changed. The enormous shape of the train disappeared from his vision to turn into something else. There was a moment where nothing happened then he felt like he was flying, his eyes fixing something of a lighter shade. Moving as well but in a different way from the train. It was not the one moving, he was. He wasn't able to understand how but somehow he was moving. The sounds were muffled, the universe around him blurred while his mind got lost in a painless daze and started to drift away. The thing he was looking at was streaming really far away below him. It was like being on the back of a horse without controlling anything. Well, at least that was how he was imagining the thing because he never tried to ride a horse. The light turned shadow after a moment. How long ? That was an excellent question. His sight became fix too on something flat, immobile and clear colored.

There was a sound at his side, like a continuous humming... He was could hear it ? And now that he was really paying attention, his vision was starting to be better as well and the mix of numbness and pain was quickly fading. He turned his head to locate himself. He was back in the base apparently, more precisely in the 'spawn' area where weapons and material were stored. The medic was once again next to him but this time Heavy was here too, standing one step behind. The giant had his eyes over the door, wearing a concerned. The scout frowned and with a hiss sat up on the bench he've been set on.

"Thanks Doc." he forced out, reaching out to his back to find where the blade had stabbed him.

The young man clear his throat before starting to cough. His head was ringing like a church's bells on a wedding day. With a groan he slid his legs on the side of the bench, setting his head in both hands. He was feeling worse than hangovered. The humming of the medigun stopped as the doctor put a knee down to check him up. He forced the young boy to raise the head, making his vertebrae crack.

"You've been really lucky we saw you on our way." said the doctor with his usual german accent, which sounded stronger than usually to the scout.

The remark made the boy laugh. Or at least that was what he was aiming for but what came out of his mouth sounded more like the croak of a ill frog.

"Would have done a nice puzzle for your long night..." Commented the younger merc, clearing his throat again.

The medic had a strange smile, curious mix between relief and amusement with maybe a small bit of something else. The man focused back on what he was doing until the door of the room opened to let enter the "chief" of their mercenary group. T

The soldier, junkie of shooting, rocket powder and bloody fights, appeared in all his anger. His face, or at least what was able to be seen, was almost as red as his uniform and the blood staining it. With quick steps he went directly to the group, stopping right in front on the scout still on the bench.

"Are you in a big fat hurry to die son ?!" yelled the man with his usual authoritarian tone. " I won't tolerate any failure in my team ! Did I made me clear ?"

"What the heck is wrong with you ! What d'you think ? That I choose to get shooted down each time I pass the door ?!" the boy answer jumping on his feet with a wince but straightened himself as much as he could to answer the soldier's straight poture.

"You have weapons don't you ? Use them ! You kids today don't know how to dominate !"continued the man, shoving the scout's shoulder.

The strength of it almost pushed the young man back on the bench but he had no intention of letting himself being treated like nothing.

"You guys just have to do some cleaning ! I almost get exploded with grenades and that's the second time a pyro jump on me ! It's a real cut throat area there damn it!" Yelled the scout back.

"Listen up boy," added the soldier pointing a finger on the young man chest. "We're not supposed to be constantly in your back to say where to go ! If you want to have someone to open the way for you ask the spy !"

"Oh yeah ? Well first we gotta be sure he won't backstab us after throwing us in the arms of a fucking pyro !

The sound of someone clearing his throat stopped temporarily the argument. The mercs turned their attention to the entrance where a man with a strict pose and a lit cigaret was observing them.

"Didn't it come to your mind that I wasn't the only spy ?" remarked the man, setting his eyes on their younger teammate.

The masked man took a long breath of his cigaret and made few steps toward them. His body wasn't that impressive, especially compared to the soldier or heavy but this man was forcing a respect tinted with a certain apprehension by the way he was moving. A promise of a silent threat that reminded everyone around him that this guy could disappear in less than a second to appear right behind you and make you pass to the other side before you had registered he had vanished. The scout clinched his fists, glaring at the suited merc to show him as well he wasn't scared.

"If you'd been there in time, Maybe I would not had to wait for someone else to clear the way" hissed the young man with a bad look.

The spy took another breath, taking the time to observe the smoke float up lazily before setting his grey eyes on the team's cadet. A neutral look who let place to a lot of different interpretations...

"I am enough paid and qualified to know what to do when I have to", he answered. "Mistakes made by others are not my responsibility. Everyone has to prove he's worth his price." He continued, tossing his cigaret on the floor and stepping on.

"By the way... I wonder what is the amount of your pay..."

It took a second to click in the scout's mind then he felt anger burst, turning his body hot. Without a warning or controlling himself, the young man jumped forward, shoving the soldier out of his way to run straight to the spy. He swung the pickaxe he had grabbed at the soldier's belt but cut nothing but air. With an enraged growl the young man started swinging the weapon around him, screaming insults in his attempts to touch the invisible spy. His dance of violence was forced to a stop when two gigantic arms closed around him and lifted him off the ground. The scout let go of the picaxe to thrash and flail his legs to try to set himself free but the strength of Heavy's arm held tight. Incapacitated, the young man used the only capacity he still had.

"HEAVY ! GOD DAMN IT PUT ME DOWN ! I'M GONNA POLISH OFF THIS FUCKING SON OF A..."

"I think not."

A click from the empty air made the scout cut his sentence before he could finish. No one moved for few instants, waiting in tensed silent until the soldier decided to put an end to it.

"Ok ladies, let's man up a little, ok ? We already have enough men to shoot outside without starting to do the same on each other, don't you all think ?"

Heavy nodded in agreement and looked over the scout who humphed in frustration. The young man was set back on the floor and continued to search for the spy until their chief forced his attention to focus on older man set himself in front of him once again and pointed the door for the others.

"Move up" he ordered, keeping his gaze on their cadet.

The giant man ran directly to the battleground without a word, the medic behind him. The scout hesitated. He looked at the tandem as they disappeared behind the door and took a step back to go get his equipment again when he caught the soldier muttering to himself.

"Never send a boy to fight a man war."

The scout blinked and turned back to look at the soldier again, taking a minute to understand the words were for him. He crossed the soldier's cold eyes and swallowed hard. The anger the man had showed earlier had turned into cold observation as if judging if it was worth or not. The young man had a short and nervous laugh but his smile shrunk as his teammate's expression stayed the same.

"Wait... It's a joke right ? You can't fire me ! I signed a contract with the...What do I do if I can't go on the field ?" panicked the younger merc, his voice escalating quickly.

That was right though. The soldier might be the one in charge of directing the team but he could not fire him. It was the administrator's work ! Not his !...Right ?...

The scout tensed up when finally the man in front of him started to move again. With awfully slow moves, the rocketjumper leaned down to get his picaxe back and moved it to point the scout.

"Defend the briefcase. You have things for right here." He ordered, moving the weapon from the runner to the weapon racks."If I see you outside I'm sending you home with a mark of my boots, understood ?"

The boy feel his heart drop. He stood frozen while the soldier marched toward the door, trying to find a solution.

"Y...YO Y'ALL NEED ME TO GET THAT FRICKIN BRIEFCASE ! IT'S IN THE CONTRACT ! YOU CAN'T GET ME OUT OF THE FIELD LIKE THAT ! How...YOU CAN'T EVEN KNOW IF I'M OUT OR NOT !" cried out the scout in a last resort.

He received no come back. The door close behind the soldier, leaving the scout alone in the weapon storage, mouth dropped in disbelief. He could just not believe this. He've been put on the sideline...Like that...without any available reason ! When **HE** was the one who almost died twice in a row and each time with the intelligence ! Twice in a row by a pyro, a spy and almost by a train and_ he_ was the one getting the blame ?! Was it even his own fault to begin with ?!

A yell of anger rose in his throat but he forced it to stay in it. There would not be anyone to hear it anyways...Not keen enough...At this simple idea he felt the envy to laugh but didn't managed to let out any sound. His body throbbed in frustrated rage, shaken by little spasms, but not a single sound came out of his lips.

With straight moves, he went to his locker to get himself ready again. Dispersion rifle, pistol and his baseball batt. The contact with its cold aluminium made him smile. Keeping the same gestures he exited the room, stopping in front of the door to look at it. His eyes drifted up to a corner where a camera have been set. Right… He've forgot about those.

The young man clenched his fists but turned away, crossing the corridor to their own intelligence room to follow his orders.

_'A boy on a battlefield'..._

They could try to get the objective and finish the mission themselves then so they'll all know how 'easy' it was...


	2. Proof

The ball was bouncing on the wall and floor, always at the same rhythm, marking the regular and flat song of boredom. At least he had that !

As soon as the scout took his designated place he immediately felt himself gnawed by dullness. As the strongest moment of his anger, he started to walk in circle around the objective as to dig a furrow in the metal. Then as time and bad mood was decreasing he eventually sat on the metal steps, moving his leg by a nervous twitch caused by the over-power in his body. The silence in the room was twice worst than the din of the battlefield, making him deaf. Feeling another need of move, he stood up to go back in the preparation room and have a look at his stuffs to find something to do. The sound of the door made him jumped and he immediately ran back in the intelligence room, his baseball ball in hand. Once back, he started launching it in the air while listening the vocals exchanges of his teammates he was receiving on his own headphone.

But he cut it quickly. It was so dumb to imagine something few meters away ! Especially to regret it so much.

And now he was there, sprawling against the circular wall, making his bounce without end his ball. Which suddenly stopped half way, floating in the air. With a frown, the young man raised, staring at it with a dazes face.

"That is a strange way to defend boy."

The scout sighed with anger.

"Geez what do you want again from me Spy ! Isn't it already enough that I've been stuck in here for hours without you coming to make fun ?!"

The masked man became visible again, the ball in his palm while adjusting his tie with the other one.

"It just been fifteen minutes that you have changed affectation. And I'm not really involved in your actual situation" he answered, throwing back the ball to the young man.

"No kidding ? And who almost perforate my head with a bullet?!" continued immediately the scout with a dark look.

"Nothing personal. I just had to shut you up" said the spy while taking a cigarette from his case. "But beside that, I think some calm could be useful for a hothead like you."

Le boy clinched his fists, tighten his grab on his ball until thrusting his nails in it. He had a sudden desire to throw it at the man's face jst in front of him.

" 'Cause watching a fucking suitcase is useful ?! What do you think ?! That it will go away on its little feet ?! The heck ! You might be paid to do fucking nothing scumbag but me I'm here to run ! Not to sleep ! Easy ! Grass grows, Birds fly, Sun shines, and brother, b**I HURT PEOPLE** /b! That's the only think useful ! Running and fighting ! b**THAT'S**/b what I'm here for !"

"What are you waiting for then ?"

The question asked on a casual tone, cut straight the young angry man. He fixed the spy for few seconds as if the man had just confessed something terrible. The masked man was stoical, watching without really seeing the empty room. The scout shook his head with a pout.

"What the heck is your problem ? You were there, isn't it ? If I put one single centimeter of my body outside I'm roasted in both meaning and I'd prefer to avoid that."

There was a silence then the shadow man spoke again without moving any bits from his position, smoking quietly.

"Why are you here for after all ?"

The scout frowned but as he wasn't answering the spy continued.

"Glory ? The soldiers names are only knew when they are killed by a disloyal way. Money ? It's true this job is well paid but certainly not to have a palace life when it's over. Personal experiment ? There are a lot of others for a young man like you which are not or less involving much risks. So what ? "

Once again, the question stood in the air. The boy put his eyes down, searching for something to say without finding anything. At the end, he made a step to be at the same level of his colleague, keeping him in the corner of his eyes.

"Nothing interesting...And you ? What pushed you in this big mess ?"

A swift tension on the spy's lips created a fugitive rictus almost imperceptible but the man didn't answered either. The scout stood still for few seconds then sighed again.

"Bha, we all have our owns reasons" he commented pushing his hands in his pockets.

"Of course."

The silence fell in place again. But not for long. The spy had a small head move, as if someone just pushed the switch to turn him on.

"Down"

The young fighter didn't had the time to see him disappear. His ear caught the mechanic rolling of a mini-gun. He jumped above the guard-rail to hide behind the glass wall, covering a part of the platform. Bullets almost immediately started to tear the air appart until their road stopped in violent impacts approximately everywhere. And above those mortuary whistles was raising the big voice of a Heavy who was singing the funeral march, almost covering the rolling message of death. The young man gritted his teeth as he heard the footsteps on the metal steps one time than another before going away. The boy felt again a sudden urge of screaming in anger. He checked his weapons, took his dispersion rifle and get ready to try an escape. An agony cry made him jump and pressed the trigger, wasting a lead burst. With a curse he took a look outside his shelter and discovered the spy above an enemy sniper corpse.

"I think we have something to take back" commented the man as we was slipping his knife in his jacket.

A large smile stretched the scout's lips as he was crossing the base, weapon in hand. But as he was almost at the exit a firm hand stopped him net.

"Running toward an Heavy is the best way to get kill stupidly. Comme with me."

Without any explanation, the man in suit went on the left. The scout almost yelled at him first but followed him. They stopped in front of a circular hatch which the scout couldn't remember about. But he didn't had to ask for the answer of his silent interrogation.

"It conduct in the cooling canal right in front of the building. If you can play with them a little I will make a bit of cleaning"

The boy blinked then laughed.

"Getting on people nerves is my speciality !"

With a battle scream he jumped in the hatch which opened before he could even touch it.

The water wasn't really hot without being unpleasant. The scout followed the tube to the actual canal and as he was reaching it an explosion blazed the space out of water a his right. The sounds were muffed but he could recognized the regular rolling of the mini-gun. Going in the base was harder than going out for everybody apparently. The scout join the surface just enough to see what was going on without being seen. The enemmy Heavy was just in front of the bridge who was crossing the canal, firing the space in front of him to clear a way in the defense line who closed behind him. But even if the bullets were touching him his wounds were immediately cured thanks to the medic hidden behind the large stature of the war man. It was also this guy who was holding the briefcase while handling his medigun which was humming louder and louder. The other guys of the team hadn't the same cleared sight so all was on the shoulders of the scout. As he was ready to jump on the medic a slight blu flicker hold him back. The Blu spy...This bastard was right behind the medic to cover him.

The boy dived again to go under the other bridge. He took a deep breath and corssed fingers to have enough time. He took back his ball in his pocket and jumped on the brigde.

"Play ball! " He screamed, throwing his ball.

It charged straight between the spy's and medic's heads, catching their attention. They turned their eyes to the opposite bridge but there was nothing. Nothing but a splash on the water's surface. The spy had a little laugh and made a sign to his colleagues for them to continue. Then he slipped in the water too, pushing a little hiss. This little snot did had some chances last time...

The shadow man scoured the canal with his eyes without finding anything. He frowned before an hard impact on the bridge obliged him to go back at the surface. As he was catching the edge to get out of the canal he felt eyes in eyes with the kid, who had a big smile on his face.

"Yo, what's up?"

the spy tried to get back but didn't had the time to dodge the batt hit who caught him right between the eyes. The masked man felt in the canal without a sound as the scout was getting up proudly.

"Way to go pally !" he launched with a look to their own team's spy.

Well where he was not so long before. The boy searched for him to localized him but he shrugged. It was always the same deal with those guys anyway. He stooped to get back their suitcase but a voice made him jump, almost making him fall in the water again.

"Did you finished him ? "

The scout raised up, intelligence in hand.

"With the hit he received he might be on his way to become a beautiful aquarium decoration."answered the boy with a head sign toward the canal.

Without anymore comment, he passed his colleague to join the security of their base. The spy appeared right in front of him, cutting his way. His face wasn't expressing any feelings but was still announcing a sort of threat.

"Did you saw him dead?" he asked again, more insisting.

"He might be. I have to admit I ain't took the time to go on a bath again. We had the intelligence, right ? That's all important !"

"What is important is the duration of our lives" continued the masked man clinching his fists.

"Hey relax ! All we have to do his get our backs on walls to avoid backstab and open our eyes ! He will be obliged to pass in front of us if he wants to try anything anyway !"

The spy pleated his eyes and disappeared again. With another shrug, the young man went back in the central room to put the briefcase back at the place it would never had left, then he sat again on the steps.

By instinct, the scout push on the tunnel's wall to throw himself out of the water and go back in fresh air but his move get stopped. He felt a painful line in his leg, which made him scream underwater and let the liquid fill his mouth. With a hips flick, he managed to turn around to find himself face to face with the enemy spy who appeared through a red cloud. And judging by his smile, he was in mood to play... The knife passed again, way to close to his face and really fast even with the water inertia. The scout went back as good as he could, pressing himself against the concrete wall to take a push and throw himself forward. He bumped into his opponent's chest, making him swallowed a good amount of water too.

The rules had changed. Now it was the one who would hold it longer. The young man blocked the wrist holding the knife, trying to push the spy against the wall. His heart started to punch painfully in his ribcage as his lungs started to burn. But turning back and try to get to the exit was not something allowed for whom desire to stay alive, especially with a spy. He clenched his teeth and throw a knee to the crotch of his opponent but the spy folded up his legs to protect himself. In answer to this try, he grabbed and tighten suddenly his grip on the young man's head, making him loose his force. The scout's vision became dark with few sparkles for a very short moment but turned back to normal just in time to dodge the knife blade pointed at his throat. Another large cut open on his arms but this time he forced himself to keep his scream inside his throat.

Instead, he slipped behind the spy's back and caught his own throat with his elbow, tightening as much as he could. As planned, the other one open his mouth instinctively, swallowing water again and again without being able to stop. Then, in a despair, the spy started to throw his elbows in the scout's ribs, making the two of them hit the wall or even started to use his knife to cut everything he could reach. The water tinted with red but the young man used his own pain to reinforce the vice. Eventually, the hits started to go slower and weaker until they finally stopped for good.

The scout's lungs were nothing but a real furnace and his whole body a moving plague. Never he would managed to reach the canal or even if he could, drag himself out of it to the base. So he turned back to the hatch and started to bang on it to make it open, fighting against his own tiredness and his aquatic environment. He felt his sinews grow lower at each hit and his sight started to fade black again. Having no other choice, he forced himself to turn back to make a try with the canal.

The light came out of nowhere above him and without realizing it a hard grab drew him out of water.

The young man crashed on the ground, coughing and aspiring with true happiness the missed air for more or less five minutes. Above him was the spy of his team, still with his neutral and cold facial expression.

"'B...bastard...", articulate the young still searching for his breath. "Couldn't you do something before?!" he tried to screamed with a furious look on his colleague.

But his throat didn't permit it without making him cough again for a long moment. The spy didn't had any reaction, making the scout's anger grew again and making move his tired and wounded muscles.

"That would have pleased you if I had died in here isn't it ?!" he yelled, catching brutally the masked man's collar. "That's not you're problem if we all died 'cause you'll still be paid after all ! You fucking shitass ! I bet if they could proposed you a better amount of money you would be on the other side ! b**Isn't i**t/b?!

The spy didn't said nothing, still observing the boy. A light appeared briefly in his grey eyes before he pushed down the scout who let his body fall on the ground again with a suffering moan.

"I wasn't the one with the best place to kill this man" he explain simply, putting his suit back to place. "And by the way, as I didn't had any confirmation about the identity, it would have been easy for me to shoot down both of you but I thought it was better to give you a chance."

''No kidding ? You're a kind heart for sure...''spitted the boy, helping himself up with the brick wall.

''It would more be called reason''

''And how do you know that I'm not the freaking foe who just killed the stupidass ?''

The masked man smiled.

''You don't know how to use a knife. Don't try to say you do because I saw you tried. And with what I can see you weren't the one with it in hand. I also think you should go cure those wounds already. Those take long to heal completly.

The scout pouted but turned to make his way to the preparation area. But as he was doing his first step, his injured body abandoned him, letting the boy tumble down with a scream. The spy helped him limp to the area without caring about the groaning scout. Once they arrived, the masked man made him sit and gave him bandages to cure his injuries.

''Oi, I know how to take care of myself ya know ? No need to play my nanny ! Especially atfer what happened.'' growled the young man, almost tearing the clothes from the spy's hands.

This reaction created a little smile on the spy's lips who let the scout do his own healing. He turned around to go back in the innards of the base but had a small stop just before disappearing.

''By the way, winning against a spy while under water is a rare experiment, as the ones who can get away from it alive. So I think we can say you did quite good imon garçon/i''

The scout raised his eye to look at the spy who was already going away as if nothing happened.

The young man blinked few times then bursted in laugh.

''Of course I did ! What do you think ?'' he shouted. ''I'm a freaking force of nature !''

In the corridors, the spy took another cigarette he put between his lips, stretched in a smile he couldn't prevent.


	3. Act

"Now that's what I'm talkin' about !" launched the boy looking at the bandages.

He was actually happy with what he managed to do with them without making himself looking like a mummy or some halloween disguise. Well at least that's should be good until the medic was back to stitched up for good.

The boy exited the armory to go back into the intelligence room as empty as always. He stopped to look around him but didn't noticed any trace of the spy. He shrugged then went back to the capture area but as he was climbing the few metal steps he felt his body turned ice cold in a blink. His mouth fall open as he jumped next to the center. The intelligence ?! Where the hell...

Footsteps made him jumped and without thinking he bounded down the platform while insulting the spy. This freaking guy ! He was the one giving lessons but he wasn't even pretending to do anything ! The scout arrived at the end of the circular corridor just to perceive the base's dorr close on a brief blu reflect.

"Oh no you freaking don't you stupid bluballs !" he hissed.

He jumped outside but a sudden memory made him throw himself back inside as a airblast shot. The order of their soldier came back to his mind. He couldn't help but push a frustrated cry, walking in circle in front of the door. If he stood inside he was screwed 'cause he wasn't next to the intel. If he was actually running out to get it back and spotted he was also screwed 'cause he didn't followed orders. The young man abruptly stopped, taping nervously on the floor. A new insult passed his lips as he threw himself on the right. He barely took a deep breath before he jumped into the hatch enter the water again.

Hell he would not need any bath for a week after this day.

Despite his wounds he crossed the tunnel and jumped out of the canal pretty quick and as soon as his feet touched the ground he started to run. The major points were simple. Get back this stupid briefcase, not staying at the same place to avoid being spotted, go back to the base and most importantly punch the stupid frog-eater !

He heard someone call him somewhere on his side, which made his legs go even faster. The adrenaline was already pumping fast in his entire body. The explosions, grenades, shooting and rockets plus the screams and the fact that he was not supposed to be here. All of this was making his heart jump in a mix of excitation and fear and his body was going faster and faster. His mind was only focus on the knuckle head who was trying to made him fired.

As he was jumping out of the the train tunnel, he caught again the same blu back passing between the abandoned wagon. Crap ! He had almost reached the base !

He tried to accelerate again but something spray out of nowhere as he was passing the wagons himself. He turned to knock out the enemy but a solid grip captured his shoulders to push him back. Straight into the Blu base's canal.

The other scout was holding him way to firmly for his shape. The young Red started to fight back, his legs moving fast to put his head out of the water as he was trying to get out of his counterpart's grip but he had a blank moment when their irises crossed each others'. The blu had metal grey severe eyes as no one of his age would have. Their head bursted the surface but the red didn't had the time to said anything because of a hand on his mouth. Someone passed on the bridge over their head, making both of the youngs look up anxious. Heavy steps, a mini-gun rotation and a big laugh made the red frowned. When he put back his eyes on his blu reflect, they exchanged another look for a second then they grey eyes moved toward the tunnel down in the water. The red runner didn't had the time to nod before being pushed back into the water without other choice but swim into the canal. As he was making his way through he realized he just hanged himself up. First, the intelligence was gone, two he was out even if he wasn't supposed to and now he was swimming in the blu base's canal because a scout with strange eyes told him to, after not killing him... This mission was definitely his last one but...If the intel wasn't yet delivered maybe he could take it back once again ?

The hatch was open and he could see the roof of the blu base. Something grey, probably concrete. The young man grabbed the rim and pulled himself up just enough to see if there was someone. Again he crossed the two metallic irises. The surprised almost made him fall down in the water but the blu caught him by the back of his shirt to forced him out. The runner didn't had the time to get up by himself because of the grip on his wet uniform who was guiding him quickly toward a staircase. They just had the time to disappeared on the upper floor before another group of blu ran out with screams. The Red scout jumped forward, throwing a look above his shoulder to be sure they haven't been spotted. The sound of someone clearing his throat focussed the young's attention. They were at a floor with large and numerous windows from where they had a view on approximately the integrity of the battle field. Something perfect for a sniper but strangely there was none to be seen. The scout made a step forward, searching for his "guide" but a voice behind him made him jump.

"Your time of reaction isn't bad."

The boy threw his fist behind him but was stopped straight by the same solid grip who pushed him and hold him in the water. The red spy was once again smiling at him.

"What the heck is your freaking problem spy ?!" growled the scout, trying not to sound too loud. "Where were you with the intel ! Thanks to your wonderful job they've got it ! And we're here in the Blu base and I'm not even supposed to be and..and..."

"There is no problem with the intelligence." answered the masked man with his habitual relaxed ton.

The scout wanted nothing more than push him.

"I know what I saw fancy pants ! "

The spy turned his head as he heard something, making the scout stopped even if he wasn't half done. They stood still for few seconds then the shadow man looked at his cadet from head to foot, making the boy even more angry. He opened his mouth but was cut by the spy.

"You wanted to prove you're worth the price you're paid by crossing the battlefield." the older man said, reaching for his disguise kit. "That you are better now than what you were before. That you could finally be _proud _of what you are doing, isn't it ?"

A smoke cloud enveloped the masked man and soon a blu medic was standing at his own place. Only his eyes, still metal grey, could tell the truth. And at the moment they were focused on the scout.

The boy frowned.

"Theirs is a coward. He's just staying inside, hiding and waiting for the others to come to him." explained the false Blu with a shrug.

Still the scout stood silent for a moment, not sure what to say. He scratched the back of his head before finally opening his mouth.

"Eh...you..D...Dis is not one of your stupid joke ? I mean I don't know you're just...so random !"

A new smile stretched the medic's lips.

"I can still go take this briefcase by myself if you prefer to go back in the base for..."

"Wha !? No! "

"Well, Let us move "

Without further ado, the medic pointed another to the scout and started to run down. The boy stood still, mouth open. What the actually fuck was he doing ? Beside obeying blindly to spy ? And talking about him what the heck was this dude's problem ?! The runner sighed heavily. His eyes turned to the battlefield and his own base at the exact opposite. He slapped himself mentally and passed the door his colleague showed him. He jumped above a gap in the floor and founded himself on the blu's Intel room. A large window was open on the room strangely similar to their own, except for few details. The sentry was still here, with it's owner tilted on something else. The boy cursed but suddenly there was screams and cries. Down there the scout saw the medic run in total panic, jumping above the metal steps to go hide right behind the dispenser, attiring the blu engi's attention. For a second he was not sure if it was the real one or not but then started the show. He saw the engineer looked the entrance, while the medic slide behind him. He caught the smaller man, holding his arm behind his back and his throat tight. The engineer tried to free himself but the spy swiftly flipped his knife and the man felt on the ground in silence. The sentry finally detected the enemy's presence and shoot but the spy was already gone. Few seconds later the sentry exploded . All of this happened in not even a full minute. It was kinda terrifying to see how easy you could die with a guy like this masked assassin. The scout blinked few times, coming back to earth and took the corridor on his left. He jumped down the floor, his ankles cracking in discontent but he didn't paid attention to them. When he arrived near his coworker, he saw him dragging the blu next to his dispenser.

" Wha...uhn what's the among of your pay again ?" asked the young man a little anxious.

The spy had a smile but didn't answered. Instead he stood up and pointed the briefcase with a nod.

"Let's not loose more time"

The scout put his eyes away from the blu's body and nodded. As soon as his grip tighten around the intelligence handle he jumped down and started to run without a look behind him. He was here for a reason and tit was too late to go back so now he had to focus on his principal objective, forget about how easily the spy could kill people and how hard the way back would he was building back his concentration, a sudden shock broke his trains of thought. He raised his head to discover the enemy heavy. The two of them stood frozen for the few seconds of realization.

"Oh...What's up ?"

His body moved by itself. He ran back into the intel room as bullets were already sinking in the wall in front of which he was standing just before. The boy ran his way up, his heart pumping in adrenaline and fear. Seriously...Why ? Why always him ?!

Without anymore waiting, he turned back and ran in the intel room as bullets were already plunging into the wall he was in front of. He had a very short look on the side as he was jumping up the stairs but didn't saw any trace of the spy. Oh never mind this dude ! He was good enough by himself !

He reached the floor, jumped above the gap to find himself back in the sniper zone. I which another bullets gust welcomed him. He had just the time to push back, using the height of the briefcase to throw himself backward. In the time of a blink, a Blu scout appeared out of nowhere right in front of him. The two boys looked at each others before the Red moved again. Without even thinking of the stupidity of this act, he jumped behind directly in the gap, falling straight to on the ground floor with a pain sharp from his legs. They abandoned him, making him fall on his back as a turtle, exchanging a look with the Blu scout up in the third floor. A smile stretched the Red's lips. He jump back on his feet with a hiss and wave t his homologue before starting to run again. His ankles were absolutely painful but he had to keep going. It was too late now and he was too far.

As he was arriving to the Blu base's door, he crocheted the wall to change his direction without loosing momentum and jumped once again right in the hatch, intelligence first to help him go down faster.

His heart was pulsing painfully in his chest as adrenaline was running into his entire body. Once in the canal, he went under one of the bridge to catch his breath. Man he was exhausted and he was not even half way home. He heard a pyro up on the bridge, apparently disappointed. The Red smiled. A hand pressed on his shoulder, making him gasp and turned, the intelligence behind him to avoid any try of stealing. The Blu scout was in the water with him once again.

"What the heck are you waiting for ?!" yelled the Blu. "RUN!"

"...Spy..? "

The Blu almost immediately targeted him with his gun, awaking the survival instinct of the Red react. He jumped out of the water, ignoring the tiredness and pain of his body, the height of his package and most importantly : the fact that he was **not **supposed to be here in open air. The railway were getting closer. Once he reached them he would be safe and his mission would be completed. He would not be fired and even if the soldier try to yell at him, he could say it was spy's fault. Talking about that where the heck...

A high pitched whistle crossed the mist of sound and thoughts surrounding the young man. He felt his legs slacken as he was getting closer of the tunnel. Last time he almost freaking died in this stupid thing ! No way he was going under it ! He orientate himself to go around but a cry made his heart jumped. The soldier stopped behind a wagon to look at him, his rocket launcher farcing the ground. A new sensation started to pulse into the runner's chest, giving a new force to his body. Anger ? Or perhaps fear after disobeying a direct order and being caught.

"Crap...Crap! CRAP!" yelled the scout, pushing forward.

He had no time to go around the tunnel. He was not a coward. He was not useless. And he was gonna prove it right now !

He jumped.

He felt like staying for an eternity in mid air, surrounded by shadows and screaming alarm. The tunnel seemed strangely quiet compared to all the rest... No wait. It wasn't quiet. It was full of the screaming from the train's machinery. The boy didn't closed his eyes but he didn't tried to looked at it this time. There was sudden push in his back throwing him right on the other side of the tunnel. He came back to himself only when his feet touched the ground again. He felt his legs giving up under him but a solid grab raised him up and push him even more.

"Keep going !" encouraged a voice at his side.

The boy blinked but didn't add a single look for the engineer who just helped him. His mind was blanked and he didn't really remembered what happened next. He only knew it was pretty quick. He ran passed the rusty wagons, jumped above their own canal, crossed the corridors, climbed the stairs in the intel room then collapsed. He crashed hardly on the ground with a cry. One of his feet abutted against the last step and his tired body didn't had the time to react to avoid the fall. Or even do anything else. The young man just stood there on the ground, his chaotic breathing not allowing his lungs to catch enough air to get up or even to move a single muscle. Fuck...The capture zone was just few centimeters away ! He tried to push on his arms to crawl to it but a new grip lifted him up to make him crossed the remaining space. The administrator's voice echoed, announcing their victory. The boy was still laying on the ground, almost unconscious, still trying to catch his breath. He just barely seen the man squat next to him, his voice sounding so far because of the internal hubbub in the boy's ears.

"Good job mon garçon_._ Now you can be Proud."


	4. Epilogue

The red scout loosed consciousness as soon as the victory belt rang on the battlefield. He was too exhausted with the fear, actions and emotions so his brain just decided to cut every non-vital functions. He awoke what seemed an eternity after, the Medic and Engi at his side. At first, he was scared they were planning some kind of stupid transplant or what not but they just smiled at him. The medic has made a last verification and when the boy jumped on his feet the engineer pressed his shoulder with a i"now that's what I call a good work son !"/i.

The youngest mercenary nodded and exited the room he was in to immediately search for the spy. After all this masked creep helped him a lot for the victory. The boy heard the voice of their soldier from behind the strategy room and passed it as quick and silent as possible. When he jumped out the corridor, he bumped into one of his teammates. The demoman cursed at first but them exploded in laughter and throw his palm on the boy's back, almost strongly enough to make him fall right on the ground. His loud congratulations echoed in the base and the door the scout just dodged open straight.

"Sorry cyclop I really gotta go !" said the scout, passing briefly his arm in his colleague back to push him toward the door. "But I'm so sure soldier would be happy to have a drink or too. Actually, maybe you can try to make him drink enough so he would not even try to get out of the room ?" He add then started to run.

The scout went stretch for the the hatch's corridor and stopped in front of it with a sigh.

"Not bad"said a voice.

The scout jumped, recognizing the spy on the top of the stairs, a cigarette held between too fingers and the other hand in his pocket.

"For once this drunk idiot can really do something !" launched the boy with a shrug.

A husky laugh rolled in the masked man's voice, making the boy both tense and raised an eyebrow.

"Oi, what are ya laughing for ?"

The spy didn't answered. He turned back and walked away, not even looking behind him when the scout called him.

"Hey ! Wait up ! I gotta question for you !"

The spy looked briefly above his shoulder.

" Why ?"

A silent.

"You'll have to be more precise with your question. There is a tons of possibilities." said the spy as put his back on a wall.

"C'mon spook you know what I mean."

The boy noticed a quick light of amusement in the grey eyes. The spy was waiting him to said more. The youngest sighed but crossed his arms, putting his right right back in the metal grey one. The silent lengthen until the noise of demoman being thrown out of the technical room made the boy turned his head by reflex. When he turned back to the spy right in front of him. The boy jumped back with a curse.

"What the heck is wrong with you ?!"

The spy had a little smile on his face, the kind that you can't really know if it's amusement, sadism or something totally different. The masked mercenary reached for something in his inner pocket and handed it toward his teammate. The boy didn't moved at first, ready to run or even jumped in the hatch or throw the spy in at any sign of trick but eventually took the item in spy's hand. The scout observed it for few seconds.

"Why the heck are ya giving me a knife ? " asked the scout, opening it with precautions.

The hilt was black painted with a sort of quite well drawn rose and the blade had four small teeth on a side. Plus the boy could see and follow the roses carefully incised in the metal. A new laugh stopped the boy from his observation. His masked colleague was apparently...happy maybe ?... How could you even tell with a spy...

"I retrieved this on the man you killed today. I thought It could be a nice retribution compared to the work you've made." explain the man.

"...Wait...You went in the canal just to loot a corpse ?" said the boy with a hissed of disgust.

Again, the spy didn't answered his question. He had a long puff of his cigarette then walked by the scout. The young man looked at him and suddenly a sparkle ignited in his mind. The blu scout... His eyes weren't grey the other time. The red boy tried to stop his teammate but the sound of fighting in the corridor stopped him. With a new sighed he put the knife in his pocket and went to see what was going on.

Later that day he noticed something else. The administrator didn't said anything when their intelligence was stolen...


End file.
